Oct 13 2012:
Oh my goodness there are so many things that motivates me! I have dreams, goals, desires, love ones and people and place to see. Books to read, trips to go on. A life to live! all of it motivates me to do what I do. I do think however the thing that makes me be so motivated is the positive spirit I have. I see every thing as a go. I am 55, divorced and my children are now grown. Some of the things I did not do because of them I can do now. I just joined a network- marketing company. why ? for money yes and no. if there was no money and I could explore the world, like I want to do and have time to play in my garden when and where I want. Read all the books, meet all the people, share thoughts and likes and wants. Help someone else see the possibilities in the world and in self. I still think I would be happier. It is a way of life that I seek. That at this point in time is my motivator. My day time job is boring restrictive, and time consuming. and it is just not the place I want to be at this point in my life. I am a creative person and that job just does not do it for me. but really it is my positive thoughts that motivate me. Smile.

Oct 6 2012:
faith motivates me. Mine and others. I have a friend who is fighting cancer and her faith in God, her absolute conviction that whatever happens today is in God's hands give me so much courage. I look at single parents who are surviving wholly on faith that it will be okay. Maybe not today, but someday. When I see that kind of faith, courage, and strength, it strengthens me and motivates me to stretch my faith and believe for things that seem impossible.

Sep 20 2012:
I'm motivated by love.
Love for the arts; love for my career; love for nature and the environment; the love of(and for) lovers; love for life and living; and love the beautiful things of life.

Sep 20 2012:
They have changed for me over time, and they will for everybody. When I was in my 20's, I was motivated by "money", in the sense that I needed it to provide for myself and family, so "working" was the motivator to achieve that. Now that I am fully retired and financially secure, I'm looking to enjoy the fruits of all that earlier motivation.

I've come full circle. When I was a child, my motivation was to have fun. When I became an adult, my motivation was to "achieve" for my survival. Now I'm 58-years old, have achieved my survival goals, and I'm a big ol' child again looking to have fun.

In fact...I think it's time to go for a motorcycle ride. Just for the fun of it. ;-)

Oct 5 2012:
Overall, although it may seem to be an easy and simple question, the answer is rather intricate as it entails many nuances and it varies person to person. I was tempted to just say - the vision of success and the immediate satisfaction after completing our goal is the ultimate motivator. But, isn't it the curiosity and hunger for learning new things, competitivness, that serves as a much needed pre-requisite to keep us going?
The goal itself doesn't motivate you in long-run. Aristotle claimed that every activity aims at some end, but only when you enjoy the activity itself will you find true happiness on your path to achieving your goal. I think that a lot of people get miserable aiming at something and not enjoying the path there - like doing something for the sake of the aim only. For example - choosing a career of a banker or lawyer just because they are said to be intelligent and well-paid while going through a lot of pain because you basically ignore the fact that you should be a TED translator, do fulfilling things that make sense to you and be happy instead :)

Oct 13 2012:
I like what you said about the path. you learn so much on the path of doing something, and it can inspire you to make another goal to get to the end, but is there really an end. if your mind is set to seek and explore and the path is the path? your inter spirit I do think is what makes you do the things you set out to do. the desire to learn and to be more and to have more and to share that with others. in my life I have goals that I did not get to but I was never sad that I did not get to them I just made other goals for the path that I turned on to by the situations and the decisions of my life. but I had fun on that path most times. sure we all have the good times and the bad times, but it's the times that make it what it is.

Oct 2 2012:
What motivates me most is stillness. The visual manifestation expressed in a clear pool just before a pebble drop. In my mind "nothing" is under-rated. The state of nothingness is the genesis of creation. The blank page, I guess. Once there, my motivation comes from a run in the woods, a rest on the hammock and books about how people's brains function. My 'go-to" book is "Maps of The Mind", by Charles Hampden Turner. A digest of 50 + different views of how our minds operate.

Sep 29 2012:
I have made a commitment to myself to "refuse to peak." This means that there is no mountain to summit or finish line to cross in the amazing journey of life and personal growth. Each day is a gift to be either harnessed or squandered, and I try to choose wisely. I've come to embrace the idea of living for the process, not for the destination. Because goals must be set, and achieving them will only result in a higher target if growth is to continue. So to link happiness with some destination is to punt fulfillment over the fence.

So I try not to treat life as a game that needs to be won, but rather a dance to be perfected. And as I approach that upper asymptote, I find new depth and empty spaces that can be filled in by a new journey.

And whats exciting is that on this journey my very definition of motivation will no doubt be strengthened!

Sep 27 2012:
Motivation comes from the way we interact and feel everything around us. Motivation is natural and borned in any living creature that can feel the freedom around and this way want to improve. So motivation is related to freedom and needs but also to environment. Open minded people will be always motivated to make things better and better and improve so motivation is born inside us but we need to free it by opening ourself to everything around us and this way we are motivated to become also us better and better each day without losing our beliefs

Sep 21 2012:
Since I am fortunate to have reached a mental state of financial security, which is essential having a good career and feeling no social pressure anymore to resort to normal high society indulgances (cars,, gadgets, exotic travel, expensive hobbies, wining, dining, conspicous consumption to please others, etc). Money doesn't motivates me anymore. I am motivated by search for true inner peace, strength and confidence. I am motivated to build friendship with truly genuine, open, caring and intelligent people. And above all I am motivated by being able to make a real difference beyond myself and my immediate family for the rest of my life.

Oct 20 2012:
Love is what motivates me. I believe that underneath it all the world is good, and people are good. I'm just looking for someone to share my life with, but the world is a large and fascinating place and there are literally billions of people I haven't met and don't know. So just spreading my love and being a good person is what motivates me.

Uncertainty of life. Not knowing when it might be your last day here.
Uncertainty of science. There are so many unknowns that we have yet to explore.
Uncertainty of relationships. When someone dear to you might leave you.

All this uncertainty helps me appreciate the present and motivates me to make tomorrow the best I possibly can, for me, for my loved ones and for people around me.

Oct 1 2012:
When I am really down and need refreashed ... I go down to the mall and walk into a store and ask to speak to the manager ... he comes out .. a 20 year old ... with a nose ring that is infected ... piercings all over his body ... a plate in his ear ... and a spike hair-do that is green ... and he says how can I help you?

I laugh my tail off .... am totally refreashed .... and motivated for a month.

Sep 28 2012:
What motivates me is the deep dislike of wondering "What if?". Also, my daughter is my engine and since she's been born, I have put life into perspective and started living the journey that I always wanted to take.

Sep 28 2012:
As for me, I often get motivation when i watch people who achieve their goal, and push themselves to the limit,
I really like sports and when i'm tired or when i'm about to study my lesson in order to success exam, I often watch some video on youtube about great personnality on sports , and by watching the video, i tell my self that "everything is possible as long as i want it, and work for it.

Sep 27 2012:
To stand in awe of the world each and every day, to look through a lens of observation to appreciate, and a lens of participation to experience. The world we live in is riddled with problems, 'problems'; those conundrums we view as negative so as to dub them with a title of tiring connotation. I think though, if we stand back to observe participants, we get the opportunity to have a new and interesting perspective on their problems. Thus, when we come back to participate in our own, we are better equipped with the ability to see through the Human illusion of negativity. This concept motivates me to dig into the world, and understand some of the many illusions that plague us; through travel, eating, writing, praying, and most all the motivation to engage in every opportunity of conversation.

Sep 26 2012:
I belive that motivation works by this simple rule: the key is not to know the solution to your problem, but to search for it. In other words, in motivation is more important the drive to search what ever you need, than the reason for your need, because if you know the reason for your need, then you don't need to search, and then you do nothing. The key is in creating movement, doing, this is what creates change, and ultimately what matters, and not so much the origin of the need or the reason. I conclude that what is important is not what motivates you, what makes the difference is the search, the quest for solving your needs, this is the fundamental game changer. We all have needs, we all whant to be happy, the search for the solution to our problems is what will make an impact in our lives, the search IS the transformation agent of change in our lives, the search for answears to our needs.

Until one is committed, there is hesitancy, the chance to draw back, always ineffective, concerning all acts of initiative (and creation).

There is one elementary truth, the ignorance of which kills countless ideas and splendid plans: that the moment one definitely commits oneself - then providence moves too.

All sorts of things occur to help one that would never otherwise have occurred.

A whole stream of events issues from the decision, raising in ones´favor all manner of unforeseen incidents and meetings and material assistance which no man could have dreamed would have come his way.

Whatever you can do, or dream you can, begin it! Boldness has genius, power, and magic in it.

Sep 25 2012:
fear and judgment is not a bad thing. But to fear for fear and to fear for judgment will not set one free and one can't pursue true knowledge without fear. A wise man knows one thing and that is he doesn't know everything.

Sep 26 2012:
I agree about fear and judgment; they are not bad things, simply feelings that enable us to grow spiritually along this journey. In striving towards equanimity, Socrates' philosophical statement about how we cannot know anything in an absolute sense, well, this helps me along.

I cannot relate to your statement about needing fear to pursue true knowledge. I don't know what 'true knowledge' means for you. For me, the foundation of knowing that I know nothing has helped me understand on a deeper level how all judgment is projection. This, in turn, has allowed me to judge myself and others much less. And this leads to a more peaceful state.

Sep 26 2012:
trust/respect that one has the power to learn indefinitely.

And yes, it is possible to have too much fear that one stopped acquiring new knowledge to avoid making mistakes and too little fear, hence lack of respect to nature and humanity.
Being judged is not a bad thing as it allows one to continue pursue ones knowledge.

One may not know everything or have learned everything, it is not respectful to say that one has acquired nothing in this universe. You certainly know something I don't and I am confident that I have certain skills that others wish to gain. Arguably, Einstein's relativity and quantum theories make no sense to me as an artist/teacher but do I respect it even though it gives me headache and appear to be no sense? do I fear it so I am careful when I present the same information to my pupils? SURE THING!!!

One of the 2nd grader asked me today during our math center if I like Math?
NO and YES, to be specific, I like addition in my bank account and doesn't like it in the stores or gas station but do I like doing Math like what you all are doing now, of course not. But it is useful in life when to comes to paying bills or building legos? Definately!

Sep 27 2012:
"it is not respectful to say that one has acquired nothing in this universe"....the perspective I'm coming from is that of letting go of ego, letting go of judgments and thoughts that tell us we know what things are and what life 'should' or 'should not' be...certainly no disrespect intended. One of my aims is to be as open as possible, to be in wonderment at this mystery of life; not to say I know this now, or am successful in this way or that, and therefore am better than that person over there.

"trust/respect that one has the power to learn indefinitely"...I agree, this life journey is full of learning opportunities every day. If I react emotionally to someone judging me harshly, or myself for that matter, I am able to learn from that experience and grow from it. Being judged or judging self or others are not bad things, just opportunities to grow from. yes, we can have fun learning things as we go, but on a deeper level it's nice to realize that it is all nothing, really...nothing that can be absolutely known, and thus the excitement of wonderment can arise. judgment loses its meaning with this realization.

"do I fear it so I am careful when I present the same information to my pupils? SURE THING!!" If you are truly fearful in presenting information to your students than I suspect that is coming from a place of insecurity; insecure of feeling vulnerable or not good enough. An opportunity for insight, learning, and growth!!

Sep 24 2012:
Simple question, and I thought it was rather shallow at first. The problem is that now I can't seem to develop a coherent answer.

In the past, I would state and convince myself I was motivated by one thing, but my actions would indicate I was motivated by something else. I am a ball of inconsistency even in this simple area.

As a result, today I would have to say I am motivated by the desire to be better today than the lazy and often selfish idiot I was yesterday. It's not much more complicated than that, it's day-to-day, and my success rate is spotty, but there you are.

Sep 24 2012:
some days i drag to wake up early....most days I feel awesome. i see the world I live in with a different view (maybe because of my half shot eyes...:)) and feel the peace and love. I was never so motivated until I found the purpose of life-it is not religion- just another way of being philosophical isn't it?), it's not a person-at some point we change or grow up, or money-although it might be because I don't have it or have the need to want to pursue it. :) it's not myself-i've got this one covered), It's what I do to make a difference in so many others' life. My contribution is small yet visible to myself. :) and this is what motivates me these days.

Sep 21 2012:
Curiosity motivates much of what I do. Also the hope for a society that emanates compassion, justice, continual learning, and the breaking of cyclical corrosive behaviors. I guess I get up in the morning with the hope to bring a moment of insight to this bizarre existence, a moment which helps myself as well as others see themselves more clearly.

Oct 20 2012:
The fear.When I was feel down and not confidence , I fear I will be defeated . Fear is not a good thing ,so I tell myself face it and solve it.Though fear is not a good thing , it still motivates me

Oct 19 2012:
Dogs. They get up around 4:30 am- except during daylight savings time when they get up at 3:30 am. Oh yeah, and that pursuit of excellence conceptual banter sharing of ideas quest for beauty thing...

I am now in America. I just came here 2weeks ago.Before I came here, I was very motivated for this travel,but now, I feel I am stuck in a rut already.
why? The most important thing is that I had a lot of tasks recently, especially around 2months before.
I was excited to go to America and there were of course a lot of tasks I had, for instance buying some stuff for travel, contacting to workplace and apartment, writing some documents to get Visa. blah blah blah...
After arrived at America, I had to meet my boss and prepare to start my program, and taking orientations and so on.
It was very busy for me, but I was very excited, so I had high motivation then and I thought that if I finish whole daily tasks quickly, I can do my main work more easier than having a lot of tasks.

But, truth be told, I am stuck in a rut nowadays, I've already finished a lot of small tasks, so now I just have to do my main work I really wanted in japan.

I tried to find out why my motivation for that is decreased.

then I figure out, solution is adding any tasks.
so I add new purpose and tasks which I can achive but these are difficult.
then my motivation came back to me.

Oct 19 2012:
just want to share this with you guys,in my religion the ultimate purpose of life to become a leader on Earth and servant to God.When i feel down ill get closer to my Creator,remind myself of the main reason why im here in this world...my religion is all about positive things,and i didnt found anything negative about it,to me,that is the real motivation because i can feel it in my heart,ive tried other forms of motivation,but i cant really feel it....so,religion motivates me.... ^^

Oct 16 2012:
everyone has troubles regardless of you are ordinary or great.in the past 5 years ,i learned that what matters most is you are enjoying every moment of your life which is filled with happiensss and misery,ups and downs.
i do not envy or even jealousy the man who is rich or famous.of course if i get an opportunity to be one of them ,i would seize it for another different life style.
nearly the end of life,everyone will be orindary and there is no exception.everyone is unique though tiny,however,sometimes you do not really know that you are changing the world in a special way.

Oct 12 2012:
Answers is what motivates me. I have been asking questions since I was a child. Like why is the sky blue? Why is the grass green? I know now why and a lot more by simply asking questions and seeking answers. I question everything for I do not know it all, but I am open minded and willing to learn.

I can't be perfect, no one can, so I'm left with the challenge to see how much of what I can accomplish in whatever time remains to me. It's not only about doing "good" whatever that is. I will do "bad" as well and enjoy doing some of it. It's more about seeing what I can create or destroy as opposed to simply existing.

Oct 10 2012:
what motivate me is my goal to have a much better life .
and have a happy family and what motives me is my thought to do what i can to achive something
and the heart to have more kindness and have a pleasure of finding something .what motives me is freedom to see more and more people can have a good life .that is my motivition,

Oct 13 2012:
hum I don't think on death as well, it is an unknown factor. and I don't think about it til it is here. so for right now I think of all the living to do, I don't want to say that I never tried to do something. there are just too many things to do. and I don't want to sit on the couch and watch tv all day! I want to taste it feel it and share the greatness of what can be. life is not over til it is over. and if we have thought at that time, I think I will have wonderful thoughts of the life I had.

Oct 3 2012:
TOMORROW motivates me
i know i can do better, to make a difference.... tomorrow is a result of what we do today, i am doing my part, and working to do more
not fame, fortune, status, power, position.....
just because i know i can do better, and its better to make a friend than an enemy
i am a gurrilla gardener :) (food, chemical free)
winter gettin closer in canada, cant do much longer